Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,215 discloses a multi-mode exercise machine 1, which includes an exercise base station 11, a pedal unit 12 mounted to the exercise base station 11, a cycle seat 13 supported on the pedal unit 12, an arm 14 pivotally mounted to the exercise base station 11 at one side relative to the pedal unit 12. Handlebars 15 are mounted to one end of the arm 14, and a second seat 16 is slidably coupled to the arm 14. A receivable pull rope unit 17 is pivotally mounted to the pedal unit 12, and a footrest unit 18 is pivotally mounted to the other end of the arm 14. The pull rope unit 17 includes a pull rope 171 passing around a guide roller inside the pedal unit 12, and a pull bar 172 connected to one end of the pull rope 171 and disposed outside the pedal unit 12.
When the arm 14 is set in a vertical position, a user can sit on the cycle seat 13 and hold the handlebars 15 with their hands, and then operate the pedal unit 12 with their feet for performing a first exercise mode. Alternatively, when the arm 14 is set in a horizontal position, the user can sit on the second seat 16 in a recumbent posture to hold the pull bar 172 with their two hands and then place their feet in the foot rest unit 18. By means of pulling up or letting off the pull rope 171, the second seat 16 is moved along the arm 14 for performing a second exercise mode.
The aforesaid prior art multi-mode exercise machine 1 can provide both upright and recumbent exercise modes. However, it must provide two seats (the cycle seat 13 and the second seat 16), two handles (the handlebars 15 and the pull bar 172) and two foot portions (the pedal unit 12 and the foot rest unit 18). Including two versions of each of these components disadvantageously complicates the structure and operation of this prior art exercise machine 1.